Khaleda Zia
If Khaleda joins BNP’s Dec 10 rally, court will take steps: Home Minister
If BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia attends the party’s December 10 rally in Dhaka, court will take necessary steps, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said today (November 30, 2022).
“Khaleda Zia is out of jail on condition, and if she joins the public rally, the court will take steps,” the minister said while speaking at an annual training programme of Bangladesh Police Women Network in Dhaka’s Rajarbagh area.
Read more: DMP gives BNP 26 conditions for holding Dec 10 rally at Dhaka's Suhrawardy Udyan
BNP received permission to hold their rally at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on December 10 and the government has allowed them to conduct it smoothly, the home minister said, adding, “If they initiate any kind of violence, it will be a big mistake.”
BNP initially sought permission to hold the rally at either Suhrawardy Udyan or Manik Mia Avenue. They got permission to hold the event at Suhrawardy Udyan as Manik Mia Avenue, where the National Parliament is located, is a restricted area, said the minister.
Don’t resort to violence in name of movement: PM Hasina warns BNP
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (November 03, 2022) warned that her government will not spare BNP if it resorts to violence in the name of movement.
“I told them (BNP) we’ll say nothing if they hold peaceful processions and meetings. But they are going for showdown bearing sticks. If they attack any person, we’ll not spare them,” she said.
The premier was addressing a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Awami League at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre here on the occasion of the Jail Killing Day.
Read more: Attack on ex-judge Manik: 50 BNP men sued
Sheikh Hasina said the movement of BNP means arson violence. What a mayhem they carried out across Bangladesh in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They proved that they are allies of the Pakistani occupation force,” she said, giving an account of the damages caused by the mayhem.
She questioned how BNP dreams that the people will vote for them as the party didn’t stand beside the people with nominal assistance during any tough time.
The Prime Minister said Khaleda Zia was convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust case and sentenced to 10-year in jail. Khaleda’s sister, brother and sister’s spouse came to her (PM) and with plea to release her.
Read more: AL has no problem with non-violent BNP protests: PM Hasina tells MPs
“We’ve given her (Khaleda) scope to stay in her house, suspending her sentence on humanitarian grounds. If BNP does excesses, we will send her back to jail,” she said.
Where is the head of BNP?
PM Hasina once again said that BNP emerged from the pocket of a military dictator who illegally grabbed power. How will such a party rescue democracy,? she asked.
“Hearing it (BNP’s announcement for restoration of democracy), there are also some people who supported them. What knowledge and intellect do they have? Can’t they realize the reality?” she wondered.
Read More: JCD behind the attack on ex-Judge Manik: Information Minister
The PM also questioned about the whereabouts of BNP leadership. “BNP is jumping, but where is their leader?” she said, adding that both Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman were convicted by court in graft cases.
Khaleda will be back in jail if BNP crosses the limit:
“BNP is showing excitement. But they have two leaders and both are convicted,” she said.
The premier said a convicted person can’t be the party’s chairman as per the charter of BNP. Since Khaleda Zia is a convicted, the chairmanship was given to Tarique Zia who is also a convicted. “Where is the head of BNP now?” she said.
Read More: BNP activists arriving two days early to join Barishal rally
Vote Campaign on development successes: PM to AL leaders and activists
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, asked her party leaders and activists to tell the people about her government’s development achievements ahead of the next national election.
“(Convince the people) if AL returns to power, the development trend will continue. And if BNP comes, incidents like looting, misdeeds, bombing and grenade attacks will return,” she told AL men.
She said the people don’t want to see such an unstable situation, rather they want peace. They know AL means development and AL means the improvement of people’s life, she added.
Read More: BNP’s ideology stands poles apart from Jamaat, it sees India as a special friend, says Mirza Fakhrul in an exclusive interview with UNB
Jail Killing Day: A Look Back
After the killings inside Dhaka Central Jail, people realized that the August 15 massacre was not just about killing a family.
Talking about the Jail Killing day, the PM said a perception was created following the 1975 August tragedy that the assassination of the Father of Nation was merely the wiping out a family. But when the November 3 killing occurred, the people could realize that it had not been the killing of only a family rather the killing of the spirit of the Liberation War and ideology of the Independence.
She said several successive governments after the August 15 bloodbath distorted the history of Bangladesh, erased the name of the Father of the Nation and carried out campaign against him. Anti-Liberation Force and war criminals were reinstated in power.
Read More: Security agencies will act, if vandalism is there in the name of protests, says Home Minister
“Whether Bangladesh remained truly independent after 1975 mayhem was a big question,” said Hasina, adding that the successive governments started acting against the spirit of the Liberation War.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader delivered the welcome speech while AL presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Engr. Mosharraf Hossain and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram, AL central committee member Parvin Zaman Kalpana, martyred Syed Nazrul Islam’s daughter Dr Syeda Zakia Noor Lipi, and Dhaka South and North City AL presidents Abu Ahmed Monnafi and Sheikh Bazlur Rahman spoke at the event.
AL publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP, and his deputy Aminul Islam moderated the discussion.
Read More: HC orders speedy disposal of graft case against Gayeshwar
The day is observed to remember four national leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali, and AHM Quamruzzaman who were assassinated inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3 in 1975.
Bangladesh's Jail killing massacre happened barely three months after anti-liberation elements assassinated the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
Govt won’t send Khaleda back to jail before election: Law Minister
The government will not send BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia back to jail before the next national election, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today (October 27, 2022).
The minister made the remark in response to a question from reporters, after a training programme organised for sub-registrars at Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka.
The government has no plan to change the decision of suspending Khaleda Zia’s sentence as per section 401 of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC) with two conditions, Anisul added.
Read more: Gatco graft case: Charge framing hearing against Khaleda deferred to Jan 29
On September 19, the government extended the suspension of Khaleda’s jail sentence for six more months.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government suspended Khaleda’s jail sentence for six months through an executive order on March 25, 2020.
The government extended her conditional release in two corruption cases several times.
Read more: Law to determine Khaleda Zia’s election eligibility: Law Minister
The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka’s Central Jail after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.
She was convicted in a second corruption case later.
The 76-year-old BNP chief Khaleda Zia has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.
Read AL wants to score in empty field: BNP
Gatco graft case: Charge framing hearing against Khaleda deferred to Jan 29
A Dhaka court on Sunday fixed January 29 next for hearing on charge framing in the Gatco corruption case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and 14 others.
Acting Judge of Dhaka Special Court-3 Sheikh Nazmul Alam fixed the fresh date following separate time petitions.
Two separate time petitions were filed as Khaleda Zia and BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain couldn’t appear before the court due to illness.
On September 2, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against two Gatco directors, Khaleda and others.
The ACC pressed charges on May 13 the following year against 24 people, including nine former ministers and state ministers of Khaleda's cabinet. Nine of the accused have so far died.
Opposition parties to wage movement under Khaleda’s leadership: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today (October 03, 2022) said the planned “coinciding” movements by political parties to oust the current government of Bangladesh will be “under the leadership” of Khaleda Zia.
He said, “We have taken united steps (to hold coinciding movements) …We have already announced the (top) leader of our movement. Begum Khaleda Zia is our leader. In her absence, our acting chairman Tarique Rahman is our leader,” he said.
Fakhrul made the remarks while talking to reporters after a dialogue with Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar), a partner of the 20-party alliance, at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Also read: BNP determined to build non-communal Bangladesh: Fakhrul
He said they will start the simultaneous movement after completing the second round of dialogue with all the opposition parties.
The party began its second phase of talks with the first meeting with Kalyan Party on Sunday. The BNP Secretary General sat for dialogue with Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) on Monday with a goal to finalise the demands and issues that will be highlighted in the movement.
A nine-member delegation of the Jatiya Party, led by its chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider, joined the talks with Mirza Fakhrul and Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of BNP and 20-party coordinator.
Also read: Anti-govt Movement: BNP initiates 2nd phase of talks
Earlier, BNP had discussions with 23 parties during its first phase of talks that began on May 24 to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people’s voting rights in Bangladesh.
PM: During BNP’s regime, human rights were violated at every step
Coming down heavily on BNP, PM Sheikh Hasina has said they raise questions about the election and human rights, but during their regimes, human rights were violated at every step.
The premier was addressing a civic reception on Saturday, accorded to her by the Bangladeshi community in New York, US.
“They (BNP) are champions in vote-rigging. Starting from incorporating 1.23 crore fake voters, there’s no misdeed they haven’t committed,” she said.
Read: Give fitting response to propaganda against us: PM to expat Bangladeshis
The PM said Awami League believes in people’s rights and protects those rights.
“Awami League ensured the voting rights of people in this country,” she said, adding that AL gave back voting rights to people, which once remained confined in the cantonment.
Social development happened in Bangladesh thanks to the continuation of the democratic system since 2009, she said.
Read:PM: Returning from UNGA with friendship for Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina said BNP tried time and again to disrupt the democratic system by unleashing arson attacks and killings, and imposing blockades.
Blasting Zia’s family, PM Hasina said Khaleda Zia was convicted in a graft case for misappropriating funds for orphans while his son Tarique Rahman for money laundering and 10-truck arms haul case.
She said Bangladesh government had also brought back the money that was illegally siphoned off by Zia’s other son, the late Koko.
Read UN experts seek more help for human rights defenders in push for accountability in Myanmar
She said her government has been working for the welfare of Bangladeshi expatriates after giving a brief description of the efforts.
Praising the expatriates, Sheikh Hasina said they always stand by Bangladesh during its times of need.
Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension to be extended by 6 months: Law Minister
The jail term suspension period of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will be extended by another six months, Law Ministry said today.
Law Minister Anisul Huq told UNB: “The security services division under the Home Ministry will issue a gazette notification in this regard.”
Khaleda Zia will receive treatment from home and she will not be allowed to go abroad during this period, he said.
Also read: Family seeks further extension of Khaleda’s suspended prison sentence
Recently Khaleda’s family filed a petition before the Home Ministry seeking her unconditional release. They also sought permission from the Home Minister to allow Khaleda to go abroad for her treatment.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government suspended Khaleda’s jail term for six months through an executive order on March 25, 2020.
The government extended her conditional release in the two corruption cases several times.
The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.
Also read: Khaleda’s conditional release to be extended once petition is filed: Law Minister
She was convicted in a second corruption case later.
The 76-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.
Family seeks further extension of Khaleda’s suspended prison sentence
The family of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday sought further extension of her suspended prison sentence.
On behalf of Khaleda Zia's younger brother Shamim Iskander, the BNP chief’s adviser Bijon Kanti Sarker and her personal secretary Abdus Sattar submitted an application to the home ministry in this regard, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP’s media cell.
In the application, Sayrul said Shamim Iskander sought Khaleda’s unconditional release and the government's permission to send her abroad for advanced treatment.
Also read: Khaleda’s conditional release to be extended once petition is filed: Law Minister
Contacted, an official at the home ministry, wishing anonymity, said they received the application and it will be forwarded to the law ministry for a legal opinion.
He said the application will be later sent to the Prime Minister’s office with the law ministry’s recommendations before taking the final decision on the matter.
So far, the suspension of Khaleda Zia's prison sentence has been extended five times. The current suspension of her sentence will end on March 23.
Earlier on Saturday, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government will extend the suspension of the BNP chief’s jail sentences in two corruption cases if the family files any petition.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months on March 25, 2020 through an executive order suspending her sentence on conditions that she would stay in her Gulshan house and would not leave the country.
The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. She was convicted in a second corruption case later.
Also read: Khaleda returns home from hospital
The 77-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. During this period she had been admitted to Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital for several times. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.
Khaleda’s conditional release to be extended once petition is filed: Law Minister
The government will extend the suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence in two corruption cases, if her family files petition, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today (September 10, 2022).
The law minister said this while talking to reporters after attending a training programme of judges at Bangladesh Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka.
“If we receive any petition from Khaleda Zia’s family, the tenure of her conditional release will be definitely extended,” he said.
Also read: Khaleda returns home from hospital
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, the government suspended Khaleda’s jail term for six months through an executive order on March 25, 2020.
The government extended her conditional release in the two corruption cases several times.
The former prime minister was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.
She was convicted in a second corruption case later.
Also read: Khaleda being deprived of due treatment: Fakhrul
The 76-year-old BNP chief has been staying at her Gulshan residence since her release from jail. A special team of her personal physicians has been overseeing her treatment.
Khaleda returns home from hospital
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia returned home on Wednesday evening from the capital's Evercare Hospital after staying there for three days for tests.
The BNP chief left the hospital at 5:30pm and reached her Gulshan residence around 6:45pm, said her media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.
"Madam (Khaleda) was admitted to the hospital for some tests as per the advice of her medical board. The tests were completed and the board discharged her from the hospital as her condition improved a little," said Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, a personal physician of the BNP chief.
He said the BNP chief will now receive treatment at home under the overall supervision of medical board.
Zahid said Khaleda urged the country’s people to pray for her recovery.
He said the medical board made some changes in her treatment after reviewing the reports of her latest medical tests at the hospital.
Read: Khaleda to return home from hospital this evening
On Sunday night, Khaleda was admitted to Evercare Hospital for some more medical tests, six days after she had several tests in the same hospital.
On August 22, Khaleda underwent an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG), ultrasonography (USG), X-ray and blood tests after coronary angioplasty.
Reviewing the reports of those tests, the medical board recommended admitting the BNP chief to the hospital for some more tests.
Khaleda, a 77-year-old former prime minister, has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis.
On June 10, the BNP chief suffered a heart attack due to a 95 percent block in her left artery and a stent was placed there by removing the blockage at the same hospital the following day.
Khaleda spent some time in Old Dhaka Central Jail as a lower court sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government temporarily freed Khaleda from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, on conditions that she would stay at her Gulshan house, and would not leave the country.
The BNP chief was admitted to Evercare Hospital six times after she had tested positive for Covid in April 2021.
Khaleda's family submitted several applications to the government seeking permission to send her to an advanced centre abroad for the treatment of her multiple health complications, but the government has rejected it every time as she was convicted of corruption by the court in two cases.